The Seemingly Insurmountable Ongoing Difficulty: I know this is about a chalet. In the mountains. Covered for a big part of the year in a bunch of snow. But also this is 2013, and it is possible to get internet almost anywhere now. Been trying to drag the chalet kicking and screaming into contact with the world wide web ever since day one of acquisition back in February. And for various reasons it's just been really difficult - mainly hard to work out what those various difficulties actually are, and getting a straight workable answer from the telecommunications chaps.

Last Week: So after all these weeks of asking the same sorts of fairly obvious questions in slightly differing accents in the hope it would elicit a different, clearer answer, it seemed that we did actually have a phone line and therefore the connection should be easy as the proverbial to hook up, et voila, Buzzfeed connectivity in the mountains will ensue. Then the telecomms man came round last week, had a look around in person, and decided that in fact, non, we didn't have a phone line after all. No Buzzfeed. No Twitter. Merde. The new proffered solution was that if we could install an underground pipe joining the upper road to the property (around a 20m distance) that the line could go down - he'd be back the following week to actually install it. Easy as. Can't imagine such a solution in London - pickaxing up the pavements?!

Easter Sunday: Happily (in this particular way at least) it rained in resort for the latter half of last week, softening the ground beautifully for pickaxe trench time. And thereby also ensuring Darren's Mega Mountain Man Boots will never be the same again. So this is how you get WiFi installed in the Alps - you get seriously muddy, involve your weekend Easter guest in the trenchy mudbath (sorry), lay down some plastic pipe in a homemade foot deep ditch, drink beaucoup de tea, inspect your palm blisters, and cross your fingers (avoiding the blisters) that the telecomms chap will return as promised to feed that exciting and necessary wire down and turn on the global lights before our next visit.

The story of a French Alpine chalet renovation project from start to
finish.

'Chic Happens' charts the realities of an Alpine chalet renovation project from start to finish.

Chalet de Soie is a charming old farmhouse situated in the picturesque ski resort of Morzine in the French Alps. The original owner used the top floor as a silk painting studio, and it has been used and loved for innumerable family holidays over the years. It is now in need of some major renovation work so it can to be enjoyed for family holidays for many years to come.

The chalet will be completely renovated, from replacing the ancient plumbing and electric systems, stripping away the interior cladding as well as re-configuring the layout, replacing the kitchen and all bathrooms and adding in a brand new bedroom. The finished property will have five bedrooms and five bathrooms, and it will be luxurious, chic, modern and charming, and will be available to rent out for family holidays from the start of next ski season.